Member-only story
You’re excited! You’re doing a thing. And you’ve been taught that it’s a thing that’s socially acceptable to discuss anywhere, anytime.
But it’s not. Because intentional weight loss is part of a system of violence.
We’re in an anti-fat society. And anti-fat bias kills people every day: through medical neglect, eating disorders, and many other insidious channels. Anti-fat science has been roundly debunked; we know that BMI is bullshit, fat helps you live longer, and losing weight rarely improves health.
That’s why discussing your weight loss is not welcome in polite conversation. In fact, it’s not welcome in my vicinity at all—unless I’ve given you explicit permission to discuss it with or around me.
I know that you’ve been oppressed by this violent system, too. You’ve been lied to, and you may believe that you need to look a certain way to be happier. Maybe you’re being harassed or facing pressure from a workplace environment or a relationship. You might even be coerced by the medical system, which often refuses to operate on fat people. I get that it may feel necessary to you.
What isn’t necessary is talking about it to people who haven’t consented to hear the details.
